The present invention relates to bottles and, more particularly, to a neck apparatus/outlet design and closure system for a multi-compartment bottle.
Agricultural chemicals such as, for example, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or the like, or other end use products such as, for example, detergents, cleaning aids, or the like, may commonly be provided in a liquid form for end use. Such liquid form products may also comprise two or more component liquids which must, in some instances, be combined according to a certain ratio in order to be effective for a specific purpose. In addition, for various reasons such as, for example, limited shelf life or compatibility, such two or more component liquid products cannot be combined until just prior to actual use. However, it may often be inconvenient or messy for the component liquids to be provided in separate bottles, wherein the component liquids must be manually measured and combined for the product to be used.
One solution for simplifying the use of two or more component liquid products has been to provide a multi-compartment bottle or container having a separate defined compartment for containing each of the respective liquid components, with the bottle being comprised of a material compatible with the liquid components. Such multi-compartment bottles may be configured to have, for example, a discrete capped outlet for each compartment or a single outlet having openings from the individual compartments extending therethrough, the openings from the individual compartments being encloseable under a single cap. Where a single compartment or a multi-compartment bottle uses a single neck configuration for the openings from the individual compartments each containing a liquid, the openings are typically sealed by a foil induction seal after the compartments have been filled with the respective liquids. Such induction seals are usually provided inside a cap configured to engage the outlet of the bottle. When the cap is installed on the bottle and subjected to microwave heating, the induction seal is released from the cap and sealed to the outlet of the bottle. The cap, such as a screw-type or snap-type cap, is thus engaged with the neck (otherwise referred to herein as an xe2x80x9coutletxe2x80x9d) so as to protect the induction seal and provide a mechanism for reclosing the bottle. However, such a closure configuration for the bottle may not be desirable for several reasons. For example, once the induction seal is removed from the neck, the liquid and air tight seal at the neck is broken since the cap, by itself, is typically not configured to provide such a seal. Accordingly, bottles sealed in this manner may be prone to leakage or evaporation of the compartment contents after the induction seal is removed. In some instances, oxygen-sensitive compartment contents may also be adversely affected by the lack of a suitably tight seal for the bottle.
The production of a multi-compartment bottle having a neck sealed with an induction seal may also be undesirable for several reasons. For example, in one process, the induction seal may be configured so as to have an activatable adhesive or other suitable material applied to the seal on the surface interacting with the neck of the bottle. An adhesive or other mechanism may then be applied to the opposite surface of the seal to secure the seal in the cap. Once the cap is applied to the neck of the bottle so as to engage the seal with the openings, the cap and the area of the bottle about the neck are heated by, for example, microwaves, so as to detach the seal from the cap. The heat also activates the adhesive to secure the seal to the neck and provide the liquid and air tight seal. However, such a process may be difficult to set up, operate, and maintain with consistency. For instance, if the heat is not sufficient, the adhesive may not properly secure the seal to the neck. In other instances, if the compartment contents spill on the neck during the compartment filling process, the adhesive may also fail to properly secure the seal to the neck. In still other instances, removal of the cap for inspection of the seal may also damage the seal if there is residual adherence between the seal and the cap.
Multi-compartment bottle employing a single neck configuration often have the neck configured such that the openings for the respective compartment are defined by a single flat surface comprising the liquid outlet surface of the neck. In this manner, the induction seal may be adhered to the flat surface about each opening such that a single sealing process is sufficient for sealing each of the openings. Once the seal is removed, the chemicals in the respective compartments can be poured out of the bottle. However, once the pouring process is completed, spillage may remain on the flat liquid outlet surface of the neck, wherein the spillage may drain into one or more of the openings and cause undesirable cross-contamination of the remaining chemicals in the respective compartments. Such a situation may also result in a safety hazard, for example, if a combination of insufficient quantities of two chemicals results in the release of excessive heat sufficient to damage the bottle and cause leakage. The described neck configuration may also be undesirable, for example, if the seal is removed and the user only desires to pour one of the chemicals from the container, since such containers typically do not include a provision for maintaining a liquid tight seal over some outlets while allowing liquid to be poured from other outlets.
Thus, there exists a need for a multi-compartment bottle having a single neck configured so as to minimize the risk of cross-contamination between compartments when the liquids are poured from the bottle. Further, such single-neck bottle should desirably include a closure system for providing a reusable liquid and/or air tight seal for each of the openings for the respective compartments, wherein the seal should also be readily and reliably applied in a simple operation during the bottle-filling process, as well as following each use of the bottle. In addition, such a closure system should desirably be configured so that, in some instances, liquid may be poured from one or more openings while other openings remained sealed with a liquid tight seal.
The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, in one embodiment, provides a multi-compartment bottle comprising a body defining a plurality of compartments, with each compartment being adapted to contain an amount of a liquid. A neck finish, integral with the body, has an outer surface which defines an opening for and in communication with each respective compartment. Each opening is adapted to allow dispensing of the respective liquid therethrough. The outer surface of the neck finish defines a groove configured to discretely separate the openings such that the groove prevents liquid dispensed from one opening from entering another opening.
Another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a closure system adapted to be operably engaged with a bottle having a body defining multiple compartments. Such a closure system comprises a neck finish operably engaged with the body, the neck finish having an outer surface defining an opening for and in communicate with each respective compartment. Each opening is adapted to allow dispensing of the respective liquid therethrough. The closure system further comprises a plug for and configured to be separably engageable with each respective opening. The closure system also comprises a cap configured to be separably engageable with the neck finish so as to secure the plugs in engagement with the respective openings and prevent dispensing of the liquid through the openings.
Still another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a neck apparatus adapted to operably engage a bottle having a body defining multiple compartments. Such an apparatus comprises a neck finish operably engaged with the body and having an outer surface defining an opening for and in communication with each respective compartment. Each opening is adapted to allow dispensing of the liquid therethrough. The outer surface of the neck finish further defines a groove configured to discretely separate the openings such that the groove prevents liquid dispensed from one opening from entering another opening.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide a neck apparatus and closure system for a multi-compartment bottle configured so as to have a groove discretely separating the liquid outlet openings in order to minimize the risk of cross-contamination between compartments when the liquids are poured from the bottle. Further, embodiments of the present invention include a closure system providing a reusable liquid and/or air tight seal for each of the openings for the respective compartments. The plugs forming the seals may be readily and reliably applied in a simple operation during the bottle-filling process, as well as following each use of the bottle. In addition, embodiments of the present invention provide that the plugs may be configured to be selectively engageable with the desired openings such that liquid may be poured from one or more openings while other openings remain sealed with a liquid tight seal. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide distinct advantages as detailed herein.